Under the Water
by vermouthhh
Summary: Set during the Citadel party. Kaidan finally gets Shepard alone in the hot tub. One-shot.


**Under the Water**

He'd been trying to get her alone all night.

It figured that despite all his efforts –kisses between doorways, fingers straying at her elbow as she passed someone a drink, locking eyes from another room- the first time he'd have her all to himself that night would happen quite by accident.

Unsurprisingly, the hot tub was a popular attraction,. James made use of it first. Cortez followed, then Traynor and pretty soon Kaidan found himself coerced into the steaming waters as well. He threw his shirt over his head and dropped it on the counter. He was having a good enough time not to be bothered by stripping down in front of a crowd. Though he was usually a private man, the four beers in him had somewhat loosened his inhibitions. It was a party, after all.

"There he is!" James boomed from the corner of the tub, beer in hand.

Cortez lifted his drink in his direction. Kaidan nodded in greeting and after shirking his pants, gently eased himself into the water. The relief was immediate. He held back a soft groan as a few muscles unwound in his back and neck. Just went to show, as good of a time as he was having, he was still holding a good deal of tension.

But so was everyone else. The war outside continued to knock on the door. And no amount of music, dancing or hot tubs could mask the fear that brewed in the room like a poison. Thankfully, they'd all wordlessly agreed to try and leave as much of it on the doorstep as possible. They were not free of responsibility tonight, but they could at least try and have fun pretending.

Traynor eased back to give him room and sighed, "We should get one of these for the Normandy."

James belched in agreement, "I vote we put it in the shuttle bay, just sayin'."

"Seconded," Cortez laughed.

"Absolutely not," Traynor scoffed, lifting her head, "If it's going anywhere it should be the crew quarters. Right next to my bunk would be preferable."

"If we put a hot tub on the Normandy none of you would ever get any work done."

Kaidan turned his head toward the doorway. He let the echo of her voice fill the room and then drank in her image. He'd been looking at her all night but it seemed like every time she turned a corner it was like he was seeing her for the first time. She'd assail all of his sensations in one deafening blow and leave him reeling.

The dress looked painted on. You could see each line of muscle as it traveled down her body, her every divine curve. Hell of a dress. It wasn't every day he got to see her in something like that.

She was smirking ever so softly, her lean arms crossed over her chest. Kaidan met her eyes and it suddenly felt as though the room had been set on fire.

"True enough," James belched again.

He opened his mouth to say something more when Joker poked his head in.

"Wrex just challenged Javik to a drinking game," he panted and then he was gone again.

Shepard turned her head to watch him go. Her shoulders shook with an almost imperceptible chuckle. You'd only notice if you were really looking. And Kaidan always was.

"Oh, this I gotta see," James pulled himself from the water about as gracelessly as a rhino and slipped and slid his way out of the bathroom.

Cortez was hot on his heels, "I'll never hear the end of it if I miss this."

Traynor cleared her throat in the resulting silence. A small smirk painted her mouth as she lifted herself out of the tub to give them privacy. She wrapped a towel around herself and waved a hand as she left.

"I'll go make sure they don't break anything."

"Appreciate it," Shepard nodded at her.

Once they were truly alone, Kaidan smiled up at Shepard. Was it too soon to even hope that this might be their chance to spend some time together? Shepard glanced down at him. Her eyes suggested she was trying to arrive at the same conclusion.

"How's the water?" she asked.

"Perfect," he said and gestured a hand, "And a little less crowded, now."

She hummed a small noise of agreement and then undid the zipper on the back of her dress with elegance one wouldn't expect from a child of war. The garment fell to the floor in a shimmering puddle and Kaidan let his eyes freely roam every inch of her. From her lean shoulders to the hard plane of her abdomen, her ivory hips, freckled thighs, soft knees and pretty ankles.

He swallowed as she dipped a foot in and then fully entered the water. The blue, rippling glow rose along her body until it stopped at her black silk bra. As natural as air, she fit herself right beside him. He instinctively put an arm around her shoulders. Their feet intertwined at the base of the tub and for a moment, he forgot about everything else in the galaxy.

He would have been content to sit like that for the next twenty minutes, an hour, however long they'd be given until something else called their attention. But he made a fatal error. He overestimated his ability to remain civil in a crowded apartment with the love of his life in nothing but her underwear beside him. And he mistakenly assumed Shepard would rein him in if their private moment took an uncivil turn.

It started with a kiss. It was innocuous enough. He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. It was just a little smooch, just a little _hello_ between world weary lovers. It was brief. Soft. When it was finished he returned to his place beside her. But all of a sudden there was an impatient, burning need to do it again. Without thinking, he turned back and found her hands already reaching for his face.

They kissed again, but this time harder. They broke away for a breath and the bridge of her nose slid against his. Her breath touched his lower lip. There was a sweet instant of wordless agreement that yes, this was in fact going to happen, and then he threw himself into the eye of her storm. Their mouths met hungry, heavy and irrepressible. Her fingers dove into his hair and her back arched.

Kaidan grunted and moved through the water until he was on top of her. His hand reached up to cup her jaw. He tilted her head back and nipped at her collar bone until she rewarded him with a barely audible whimper.

It was then he managed to gather enough sense to remember the door was still wide open. He broke his mouth away from her skin with a _pop_ of suction and lifted himself out of the water just a bit. He reached over her head and he slammed his fist against the door controls. Shepard took the opportunity to press her lips against the line of dark hair that extended from just below his bellybutton to the hem of his underwear.

The door swished shut with a _ping_. And not a moment too soon, as the groan he'd been trying to suppress rumbled out of his throat. He slipped back into the water against her and pressed her back against the edge of the tub. Her mouth found his again. While they kissed he worked at the clasps of her bra. When it came undone she hurried to get out of it. She let it float away with the roiling current and smirked up at him.

He took a moment to admire her. He'd never get used to seeing her like this. He remembered too many nights aboard the first Normandy losing sleep over the woman in front of him now. Wondering what she thought about him, what she said about him, and what she might look like under all that armor. Well, now he knew. And his dreams had never done her any justice.

The scars were fading, but he'd grown kind of fond of them. A few weaved under the heavy curves of her breasts and across her ribs and her calves. Those that were underwater gave off an alluring red glow beneath the surface. He touched at the one at her jaw before she cut off his gawking by running her fingers up his spine and meeting him for another kiss.

As they continued, his breath started to saw in and out of his lungs. Shepard's did too. But their subdued panting couldn't be heard over the bubbling of the tub, he was sure. He let a hand run up the disciplined curve of her side before ending at her breast. His fingers delicately toyed with her nipple and she arched back against the edge of the tub, her legs splaying. She was good at keeping her composure though; he'd give her that. Her whimpers were kept between clenched teeth and her moans imprisoned in the base of her throat.

He could hear the yells of their friends downstairs. Most of the noise was distant, but half a second later running feet passed by the bathroom door. Time was an important factor here. At any second they could be interrupted. But Kaidan would be damned if he didn't give Shepard some kind of satisfaction before that happened.

So he gently guided her knees a little further apart in the water and fit himself in between. He massaged her breast with one hand and let his other travel below the surface of the water, down her stomach and finally to the lace hem of her underwear. He slipped his hand under the material and drew a teasing finger down the length of her seam.

Her body jerked with a spasm as if he'd electrocuted her. Her head tilted back and a shuddering breath she forgot to keep quiet rippled out of her lungs.

"Kaidan," she breathed, quieter that time.

He kissed at her sternum and let his fingers start in slow circles against her. Her hips bucked followed his rhythm. She gasped a breath into his mouth as he returned to her, enjoying the taste of her lips and the heat of her skin as they kissed. Her moans drew dangerously close to the edge of being too loud for the waters to hide. She dug her nails into his shoulders. Her legs stuck straight out around him. He knew from fond experience her toes were most likely curling –one of his favorite tells of her arousal..

"Shepard," he murmured against her chin.

It was almost impossible to catch his breath. It must have been a thousand degrees in the tiny bathroom. The steam was getting thick, too. In another few moments all he'd be able to see were the glow from her scars.

She sucked on his bottom lip and let her teeth gently graze the flesh there. Continuing with this patient, teasing circles, he slowly slid a finger inside her to bring her closer to the inevitable end. One he knew she was rapidly approaching by the sound of her breath and the sheer tightness of her body. She'd started as a smooth, fluid creature and now was practically stone against him.

Shepard sucked in a wild breath through her nostrils and let her head reel back again. She subdued a cry by biting down on her own lip. Her eyes squeezed shut and a line of concentration deepened in her forehead.

It was then he heard movement outside the door. He couldn't pick out the voices or discern if there was any real threat in their proximity, but he figured it was better to be safe then sorry. And if he was being honest, he wanted to see all of Shepard's build up finally come to fruition. He needed it as much as she did.

So without further ado he quickened the pace of his fingers. Her body rocked against him as the tempo continued to increase. Faster, faster, and faster still until he could feel her at the very precipice of her build up. Taut muscle trembling on the verge of complete and utter destruction.

She came forward suddenly and curled against him. Her breath caught. He felt her nails against his back as she bit down gently on his bare shoulder.

A millisecond of agonizing wait.

Then, her body snapped. The rigidness of her form cracked and the silent orgasm swept through her in powerful waves. Each one unwound her body, wracking her frame until every muscle had softened and she could do nothing more than tremble against him. He rode the descent with her, easing his fingers into a slow pace until the aftermath quieted. He removed his hand only when he was sure she was finished.

She slowly pulled away from his shoulder. He could feel the soft impressions where her teeth had been. She rewarded him with an exhausted and yet exhilarated mewl before slumping back against the tub.

And as if it had all been planned out, there suddenly came a knock at the door.

"Is anyone in there?" Liara's voice fluttered through the wall.

"Just a sec," Kaidan answered, quickly retrieving Shepard's bra from the other side of the tub and handing it to her.

Still looking a little bewildered, -he proudly noted- Shepard slid her arms through the straps and clasped the back. When she was situated, she nodded at Kaidan and he reached up to unlock the door. It slid open and he lowered himself gently beside her, right where they'd started.

Liara poked her head and Kaidan smiled up at her.

"Oh, hello," she said, blinking.

It took a few seconds longer than it should have for her to speak again.

"I was just looking for you, Shepard. Wrex and Javik have…have resorted to settling their game with feats of strength. I thought you might want the chance to diffuse the situation before anything got destroyed."

Shepard laughed, "I'll take care of it."

Liara nodded and quickly backed out of the doorway.

"Never a dull moment," Kaidan murmured.

Shepard smiled and squeezed his knee under the water. He met her eyes and gulped. He'd loved Shepard long enough to be able to read these kinds of looks. And hers clearly said, _I'll return the favor later_. He grinned and watched her exit the tub, shimmering and wet and all his. She toweled off and put her dress back on.

When she made a move to leave, she stopped herself, a smirk on her mouth.

"You coming?" she teased him.

He shifted uncomfortably in the water and crossed his leg until he had an ankle resting on his opposite knee.

"Think I'll stay here for a bit," he said and cleared his throat.

Shepard hummed lightly, her eyes flickering with a vulpine smile. He felt his skin come alive. Whatever she had planned for him later was going to be the end of him, he was sure.

"Come find me later," she purred and then just like that she was gone.

Kaidan eased down until his shoulders were under the water and sighed. _All right, think boring, mundane thoughts. Crunch numbers. Something_. If he wanted to get out of this tub at all tonight he was going to have to stop thinking about Shepard.

Thundering feet preceded a loud shout and consequently derailed his train of thought.

"Wa_hoo! _Hot tub's free again!"

Kaidan pinched the bridge of his nose. James Vega. The king of bad timing.

_Great_.

Kaidan slid a little further into the water and told himself as soon as he got out of this tub, he was going to need another beer.


End file.
